More pertinent was the reaction from someone who figures to be blocking for the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor.

“The search is over, I guess,” guard Kory Lichtensteiger said.

If it is, it took long enough. And it certainly cost a lot. But if Griffin can solidify the quarterback position for the next decade and lift the Redskins out of their long funk, it undoubtedly will have been worth the price.

“We understand it was a heavy price but when you bought your home you probably wanted to pay a little less too,” Washington general manager Bruce Allen said Saturday. “But you like your home once you live in it.”

The Redskins and St. Louis Rams have a deal in place for Washington to move into the No. 2 overall spot in next month’s NFL draft. The Redskins will give up a breathtaking three first-round selections _ this year’s No. 6 overall, plus first-rounders in 2013 and 2014 _ plus a second-round pick this year in the swap, which must be approved by the NFL and can’t be completed under league rules until the free agency period begins Tuesday.

It allows the Redskins to leapfrog all other teams that had an interest in Griffin, especially the quarterback-needy Cleveland Browns. The Indianapolis Colts are expected to take Andrew Luck with the No. 1 choice.

It’s a bold _ some would say desperate _ move by a team that has been repeatedly frustrated in its search for a franchise quarterback. The Redskins have started 21 quarterbacks over the last 19 seasons, with only three playoff appearances to show for it.

“It’s been tough and I feel for our fans and in many times we haven’t been successful and we’re trying to get it right,” Allen said, “and I think we had a big step to get it right.”

They have finished in last place in the NFC East for four years running, leading to a slow erosion of a fan base long known as one of the most passionate in the NFL. Owner Dan Snyder downsized the stadium last year, removing some 10,000 seats, but Griffin has the personality and the talent to re-energize the faithful.

In case there was any doubt, just visit Waco, Texas, where Griffin revived a Baylor team that never had a winning season in the Big 12 before he arrived on campus four years ago. He led the Bears last year to their first bowl win since 1992 _ coincidentally, also the year that began with the Redskins winning their last Super Bowl _ and had a hard time saying goodbye when he left with one year of eligibility remaining and a master’s degree nearly completed.

“He’s just matchless in terms of the combination of goodness of character, greatness of skill and his commitment to his university and his teammates,” Baylor President Ken Starr said at Griffin’s farewell news conference in January. “The nation has found Robert to be this very endearing and, as someone said, he’s the most interesting person in perhaps all of athletics, but interesting in a positive sense.”

Interesting? Yep. Griffin wore purple Barney socks that day, a change of theme from the Superman socks he wore at the Heisman ceremony in December.